Flight Lines

Across the globe on a journey with the astonishing ultramarathon birds

By: Andrew Darby

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Paperback | 4 February 2020

At a Glance

Paperback
336 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
23.5 x 16 x 2

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Andrew Darby follows the extraordinary migratory shorebirds from Australia's southern ocean to the Arctic and back. On these travels he explores the power of science to reveal the mysteries of these birds, and to heal both their endangered world - and unexpectedly - himself.

As the sun lowered and turned Gulf St Vincent fiery, they each called a high-pitched 'peeooowiii!', flashed their black wing-pits, spread their tail skirts and took flight.

Andrew Darby follows the odysseys of two Grey Plovers, little-known migratory shorebirds, as they take previously uncharted ultramarathon flights from the southern coast of Australia to Arctic breeding grounds. On these extraordinary flights they chance predators, typhoon weather and exhaustion before they can breed, and maybe return to familiar southern feeding grounds. But the greatest threat to these, and other long-distance migrants on the flyway, is China's dragon economy, engulfing their vital Yellow Sea staging spots.

The author meets the dedicated people working to save these intrepid birds, from Russia to Alaska, and the rim of the Arctic Sea to the coasts of the Southern Ocean. Out of their hard-won science he finds hope for the birds - a bright light for our times.

But his journey to understand this work and these birds almost ends when he is suddenly diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Then he finds science coming to his rescue too.

About the Author

Andrew Darby is the author of Harpoon: Into the heart of whaling, and former Hobart correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Industry Reviews

'The greatest story ever recorded in the study of migration' - Tim Flannery, The Australian

'Flight Lines takes what appears to be a niche topic and turns it into an immense, heroic and surprisingly uplifting narrative of endurance and survival' - The Guardian Australia

'It rips along. Darby has the power to articulate even to non-birders the importance and beauty of these creatures.' - The Saturday Paper

'A wonderful book and...a must-read.' - Harry Saddler, author of The Eastern Curlew

'A bewitching story of one of the world's great travellers, the pocket-sized grey plover' - The Mercury

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